The trusting nature of the organizations, combined with limited, often casual, internal controls makes them susceptible to fraud, even from the inside, according to the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.

The same group reports that the typical charitable organization loses an estimated five percent of its annual revenue to fraud. That's an average loss of $100,000, an 11 percent increase from the previous study and a significant loss to any charitable organization.

"Stealing from a nonprofit is not any different than stealing from other organizations if no checks and balances are there to keep that activity from happening," Ehrlich said.

That seems to be the case in recent incidents:

n In 2013, the treasurer of the Jasper Band Booster Club was charged with felony theft of more than $7,800 from the organization's bank account.

Jimmy Galvan stole $7,868.21, money that was supposed to have come from boosters club concessions and fundraisers.

His attorney told The Enterprise at the time that Galvan, who was editor of the newspaper's Jasper Newsboy, was very remorseful and that he "fell on hard economic times and he made a bad decision."

Kelley, who repaid the amount after it was discovered missing in February, was removed from his position within the booster club and recently had his home raided by federal agents.

No charges have been filed against him.

n Tony Lynn Thornton Sr., 54, the former executive director of a Hardin County nonprofit, pleaded guilty in April to theft of government property, according to information from the US Attorney's Office.

Court records claim that in 2007, Thornton was a member of the board of directors for the Hardin County Disaster Recovery Alliance, a faith-based non-profit chartered by the state to provide assistance and education to victims of Hurricane Rita, emphasizing help for the elderly, disabled and low-income.

The regular frequency of such situations prompts the question of whether it is easier to steal from a charity than a business.

Some researchers think so.

According to a report from Nonprofit Quarterly, an atmosphere of trust, difficulty in verifying certain revenue streams, weaker internal controls, a lack of business and financial expertise, and a reliance on volunteer boards all contribute to charities' increased vulnerability.

But Jason Fuller, director of the Foundation for Southeast Texas, said you just never know what people are capable of.

"For the most part, people in nonprofits do a great job to make checks and balances to eliminate that sort of impropriety," Fuller said. "But everybody, whether a church or another organization, is made of humans and they're able to do anything."

Fuller said he's always surprised when he hears of a theft from a nonprofit, but "unfortunately that's the world we live in."

Just because it's a nonprofit or a group that helps others doesn't mean it's sacred or above being victimized by criminals from the inside, he said.

"People prey on easy targets," he said. "The ones I've heard about, they all come down to a person in a difficult financial situation. Most are similar in that someone is in some sort of financial struggle and that's their way out, or a lifeline or an easy way to alleviate pressure."

The Nonprofit Quarterly report, which states figures from a survey by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, shows just that, stating that "nonprofit crimes tend to involve ... less complex unauthorized taking of funds for personal use."

Statistics say thefts are more often committed by females who earn less than $50,000 a year and have worked for an organization for at least three years.

That isn't borne out by the limited sample of local cases.

Nevertheless, Ehrlich said if a nonprofit experiences theft from inside its own leadership, then there's a problem with the organization's operation.

Once that happens, it's important to take the right steps to regain fiscal responsibility and regain the public's trust.

Ehrlich said theft can destroy an organization because it's difficult to repair perception once it's tainted.

Fuller said that when a theft occurs, people become leery and are quick to go elsewhere with their donations and their support.

Thorton pleaded guilty to the crime earlier this year and awaits sentencing.

When Beaumont's Communities in Schools nonprofit was victimized by its former executive director in 2008, it was easy to calculate the missing $97,000.

The hard part was getting it back, said current executive director, Karen Newton.

"We were very fortunate to have an insurance policy that did cover that," Newton said of the loss. "But we had to sue to get it. It took awhile, but we got it. But, that's part of the responsibility - to make sure you have policies in place."

Harder still is regaining the community's trust, she said.

"It was a horrible, horrible struggle and it still is," she said. "I hear it to this day. People won't fund us because of that. But we continue to do our best and we may not always get all of them (donors) back, but every day we show up. We try to be good stewards."

Joey Hilliard, interim president of the West Brook booster club, said the booster club reduced the number of people who can authorize spending, but two committees oversee funds coming in and going out.

Ehrlich recommends no board members should have access to money and instead have "an arm's length relationship there."

Fuller said nonprofits should put policies and practices in place that make stealing as difficult as possible.

"Do all the things to make sure everyone is in the know so no one is tempted," he said.

However, theft happens at all levels, Ehrlich said.

"I don't like to point the finger at nonprofits for not running well, because most run well.

"When you've got Enron, and then Communities in School, which are you going to look at for a parable?" she asked.